Bringing Tasmanian innovation to the world is at the heart of UTAS InVent (Innovation Ventures), the research commercialisation arm of the University of Tasmania. A key initiative of the team is a panel event series to facilitate connections and build the Tasmanian innovation ecosystem.
InVent has hosted seven ‘Entrepreneurship Experiences’ to date throughout Tasmania, featuring exciting speakers, many of whom are University alumni.
A recent speaker was Bachelor of Business alumna Tara Howell, founder of Australia’s first and only five-star mountain biking experience, Blue Derby Pods Ride, in Tasmania’s north-east. Indeed, Tara was visionary, quite literally a trailblazer, in helping Tasmania become one of the foremost mountain biking destinations globally.
A proud Tasmanian, born and bred, Tara says Tasmania's natural assets have inherently shaped who she have grown up to be.
“When your holidays as a kid revolve around exploring world heritage wilderness areas and swimming along crystal clear coastlines, where you can pluck an abalone off a rock wearing a snorkel and holding a kitchen knife, it is impossible to not let this shape you.
“Therefore, I have a deep respect for our natural environment, hence why one of our company values is sustainability.”
“Our purpose at Blue Derby Pods Ride is to give our guests a moment of great realisation during our experience, or a moment in 'flow'. Flow is when time slips away and you become completely immersed in what you are doing. When this happens, we hope you will turn around and say to us, 'This is what life is about!'”
Tara, who is also a member of University Council, says her business studies at University have been a great help. “Absolutely. I'm in business, and my studies set my foundations for everything I do with my business today,” she said.
“Participating in the InVent panel was a lovely experience. Of course, hearing from other panelists is always really interesting, and then connecting with like-minded individuals afterwards. I really enjoyed this opportunity.”
Other entrepreneurial alum who have participated in InVent’s series include Ben Stokes (BNurs '05), founder of Chasing Rainbows venture capital firm in San Francisco, Guy Robertson (BAgrSc Hons ’00), founder of Mount Gnomon Farm in North West Tasmania, and Dr Rosie Nash (BPharm Hons ’06, PhD ’16), founder of national social enterprise, HealthLit4Everyone.
InVent itself is led by UTAS alumnus, Brett Harris (BCom ’90). As CEO of the small highly specialised team, Brett says the potential throughout Tasmania is significant.
“Our researchers are working on really exciting, groundbreaking innovation,” he said.
“Our role is to help them bring that innovation to the world. We partner with our researchers on skill building, mentoring them as they move through the commercialisation process.
“A key component is understanding and protecting the intellectual property their research has created, and in turn helping them leverage it into licences, spinouts and startups.”
Another InVent team member is UTAS alum, Rose Flynn (BCom ’01), who is herself an entrepreneur, now running her second company, a merchandise brand, on the side of her role as InVent Program Manager.
“Tasmania is a fertile whole-of-island incubator for entrepreneurs,” she said.
“Entrepreneurial spirit runs strongly throughout Tasmania. We’ve always done things differently down here. So many people are building innovative businesses from the grassroots up. The environment, both naturally and culturally, lends itself to supporting fresh, blue-sky, experimental thinking.
“My role is very rewarding. I bring together our island-wide community of entrepreneurs, researchers, students, alumni, industry, government and investors. I never know who I will meet each day.”
Connecting with UTAS’s global network of entrepreneurial alumni is fundamental to the work of InVent. If entrepreneurship has been your life journey, InVent is keen to hear from you, to help inspire and mentor Tasmania’s next generation of innovators, whether you are here on the ground or globally far-flung. The team can be contacted on incubator@utas.edu.au
Image Credit: Natalie Mendham
Banner image: Alumna Tara Howell and Stephen Howell
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